A smash-and-grab win against Walsall has seen Barnsley move five points clear of third-placed Sunderland, thanks to an injury time strike from Jacob Brown.

In their 19th match unbeaten, Barnsley faced a tough test against Walsall who did not look like a side threatened with relegation.

But Barnsley were not at their best either today, and will feel relief at coming away with all three points.

The away side defended resolutely for the most part, the typically excellent centre back pairing of Ethan Pinnock and Liam Lindsay fending off some quick counter attacks from Walsall.

But the last-gasp strike from Brown was one of few attacking highlights for Barnsley.

It was a goalmouth scramble but it was initiated after a good move by the Reds, with Victor Adeboyejo and Alex Mowatt combining and Brown the first to the midfielder’s ball into the box.

Brown, returning after a three-match ban, was visibly ecstatic after scoring and was mobbed by the 905 Barnsley fans who made the trip to the Becton Stadium as he wheeled towards the away end.

The hosts had thought they had opened the scoring only six minutes in with a cracking volley from Isaiah Osborne after Corey Blackett-Taylor broke down the left and whipped the ball into the box.

The referee had blown his whistle for a foul on Ethan Pinnock by Josh Gordon, however.

Zeli Ismail stood out on the right wing for the Saddlers, and his trickery and pace were on full display in the opening 15 minutes as he beat two defenders before finding Corey Blackett-Taylor, who played the ball through to Gordon but his powerful rising strike sailed over the bar.

The Albanian-born winger was the hosts’ best outlet early on, seeing crosses to Liam Kinsella and Blackett-Taylor fashion good chances that were spurned.

Jack Walton was excellent having taken his place in the goal in Adam Davies’ absence, with two key saves within two minutes of one another halfway through the second half.

The first saw Josh Gordon fire at the keeper’s legs, and moments later Walton came to Barnsley’s rescue again, saving from Ismail who had beaten Liam Lindsay to dribble into the box.

However, Walton couldn’t stop them all – and it was only thanks to a goal-line clearance from Ben Williams that the Reds didn’t go one-nil down on the hour mark, after Lindsay’s misjudged clearance hit Cameron McGeehan and cannoned into the path of Saddlers winger Blackett-Taylor who rolled it under the keeper’s legs.

Barnsley are now 19 games unbeaten and have kept seven clean sheets in a row, and will see this result as a huge boost to their promotion push.

AS IT HAPPENED
  • 10:49am
     
    We’re live at the Bescot Stadium for Barnsley’s League One clash against Walsall. The kick-off is at 12pm and the Reds are live on Sky Sports for the third time this month, following their 3-0 away win against Southend United and last Friday’s goalless draw against Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat.
  • 10:50am
     
    Assistant head coach Dale Tonge has warned Barnsley fans to not read too much into Walsall’s precarious position in the League One standings.
  • 10:56am
     
    Although Dean Keates’ 21st-placed Walsall occupy the fourth relegation spot with 42 points from their 38 games, a win today could lift them as high as 12th, reflecting just how competitive the league has been this season.
  • 10:58am
     
    Tonge said: “Dean will have them fired up and ready for the game, especially with it being televised. I’m surprised they’re in their position as they were one of the best teams to come to Oakwell this season when we drew 1-1. They’re tough to play against and their shape made things really difficult for us, but it’s a good opportunity for us playing early to set a marker for everyone else.”
  • 10:58am
     
    This is Barnsley’s first visit to the Bescot Stadium since the second leg of the 2015-16 League One Play-Offs, when goals from Adam Hammill, Ashley Fletcher and Josh Brownhill saw the Reds win 3-1, and 6-1 on aggregate.
  • 11:02am
     
    Barnsley have only lost two of their last 11 league visits to Walsall, and will travel to the West Midlands side buoyed by an 18-match unbeaten run - a spell which is the longest since the 1980/81 season. Daniel Stendel’s men have not been beaten in eight on the road.
  • 11:04am
     
    The teams are in... Barnsley: Walton; Williams, Pinnock, Lindsay, Cavare; Thiam, McGeehan, Mowatt, Brown; Bahre; Woodrow.
  • 11:05am
     
    Subs: Greatorex, Fryers, Green, Jackson, Styles, Williams, Adeboyejo.
  • 11:11am
     
    Walsall: Roberts, Leahy, Guthrie, Scarr, Devlin; Dobson, Kinsella, Osborne, Ismail, Blackett-Taylor; Gordon.
  • 11:11am
     
    Subs: Dunn, Edwards, Cook, Ferrier, Jack Fitzwater, Laird, Oteh.
  • 11:12am
     
    Dani Pinillos, tipped to recover after the eye injury which forced him to miss the match against Doncaster last Friday, is not in the squad. It looks like Ben Williams will take the left-back spot.
  • 11:13am
     
    Elsewhere Barnsley are bolstered by the returning Jacob Brown and Cameron McGeehan, who have both served suspensions. Jack Walton starts in goal thanks to Adam Davies' international duties.
  • 11:16am
     
    Walsall are starting without top scorer Andy Cook, with Dean Keates hoping Josh Gordon will keep up his goalscoring form after coming in for the main man while he served a suspension for a red card against Bradford City late last month.
  • 11:17am
     
    Walsall, who have won just three in their last 17, narrowly lost 2-1 to third-placed Sunderland last time out and were beaten 3-2 four days before by another promotion-chasing side, Portsmouth, in their last home game at the Bescot Stadium.
  • 11:19am
     
    First-choice goalkeeper Adam Davies, who has kept six consecutive clean sheets in the league, will miss the clash and youngster Jack Walton will take his place.
  • 11:20am
     
    Davies, who made his international debut in Wales’ mid-week win over Trinidad and Tobago, came on at half-time in the game which saw teammate Ryan Hedges put in a man-of-the-match performance. Both Hedges and Davies may feature again for Ryan Giggs’ side tomorrow as they play Slovakia in a European Championships qualifier.
  • 11:27am
     
    Assistant coach Dale Tonge said he hoped Hedges’ performance would ‘catapult’ the winger - who is out of contract in the summer and reportedly fancied by a number of Scottish Premiership suitors – to a higher level of performance for the rest of the season.
  • 11:28am
    Influential midfielder Kenny Dougall is expected to miss the rest of the Reds’ crucial League One run-in after he suffered a broken leg in last Friday’s South Yorkshire derby trip to Doncaster.
  • 11:28am
     
    The Australian was taken to hospital having hobbled off in the 18th minute of the goalless draw against ex-Red Grant McCann’s Rovers, where X-rays confirmed the 25-year-old had a fracture following a fairly innocuous tackle.
  • 11:31am
     
    Dougall’s absence is the latest injury blow to hit the second-placed Reds, who will also be without 18-goal top-scorer Kieffer Moore for the rest of the season on medical advice having had a clash of heads with Gillingham’s Gabriel Zakuani during the Reds’ 4-1 win on February 9.
  • 11:35am
     
    Midfielder Cameron McGeehan, available again after serving a three-match ban, steps into midfield in the absence of Dougall while Jacob Brown - who also returns from a three-match suspension - also starts. He was shown a straight red in Barnsley's 3-0 away win against Southend.
  • 11:36am
    Brown, 20, admitted it’s been difficult watching the Reds from the sidelines but is eager to get back into the thick of it with just ten League One games remaining. Brown’s development has been one of many standouts in the season so far, seamlessly stepping up to the starting 11 after Brad Potts was sold to Preston North End in January.
  • 11:39am
     
    He told the Chronicle: “This season’s gone great, apart from picking up the suspension, and I personally feel I’ve come on massively. My confidence has grown because of the run of games I had and I can’t wait for the rest of the season.”
  • 11:49am
     
    Saddlers manager Dean Keates has said this game could be an opportunity for his side to put pressure on the other teams in the bottom half of the table. Keates said of his team’s performance against Sunderland last weekend: “We kept them quiet and our game plan was working but we just need to eradicate one or two of those simple errors then we feel we can be in control and we can make better decisions.”
  • 11:49am
     
    He added: “The way we are looking at the game against Barnsley is that we have an opportunity to put pressure on the other teams. By the time we finish our game on Saturday, we could be 13th in the table.”
  • 11:55am
     
    The teams are minutes away from taking to the pitch to, interestingly, the rousing sounds of the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.
  • 11:57am
     
    The Reds are led out by Ethan Pinnock, who takes the captain's armband normally worn by Adam Davies.
  • 12:00pm
     
    Cameron McGeehan gets Barnsley underway.
  • 12:01pm
     
    The Reds are attacking the home end in the first half, backed by some vocal support from the away fans.
  • 12:02pm
     
    2 A free kick deep in their own half for Barnsley as Ben Williams is clattered by Isaiah Osborne.
  • 12:03pm
     
    3 A right-footed strike from Alex Mowatt is comfortably saved by Liam Roberts in the Walsall goal. Mowatt and McGeehan combined well to forge the chance on the edge of the box.
  • 12:05pm
     
    4 Cameron McGeehan wins a free kick on the halfway line but the following ball is an wild one as he rushes to get it up the pitch. Goal kick to Walsall.
  • 12:05pm
     
    5 Isaiah Osborne and Zeli Ismail combine well for the hosts down the left. Ismail cuts in and hits a teasing cross, but it's just slightly overhit
  • 12:07pm
     
    6 The hosts thought they'd opened the scoring there with a cracking strike from Isaiah Osborne after Corey Blackett-Taylor broke down the left and whipped the ball into the box. The ref had blown his whistle for a foul on Pinnock, however.
  • 12:09pm
     
    8 A classy interception from Liam Lindsay stops a Walsall counter in its tracks on the halfway line.
  • 12:11pm
     
    9 Zeli Ismail looks lively on the Saddlers' right wing. He plays it back to Nicky Devlin who gets a cross off, with the ball coming out to skipper George Dobson. He's desperate to get a shot off from the edge of the box, but when he does it's comfortably collected by Walton.
  • 12:12pm
     
    12 A loose ball on the edge of the hosts' box and some good pressure from Alex Mowatt causes the centre back to shank it out for a throw.
  • 12:13pm
     
    12 A penalty shout for the Reds, but the ref says nothing doing. It came from a low corner by Alex Mowatt which was met by Ben Williams, who was admittedly stretching for the ball.
  • 12:14pm
     
    13 A blistering counter attack from Walsall as Corey Blackett-Taylor breaks down the right and finds Josh Gordon. His left footed strike from just outside the box is inches over the bar.
  • 12:17pm
     
    16 Corey Blackett-Taylor sloppily handles the ball on the edge of the Reds' penalty area.
  • 12:18pm
     
    17 A corner for the Saddlers. Ben Williams was beaten by Ismail, but managed to recover with an excellent sliding challenge.
  • 12:19pm
     
    18 Luke Leahy's corner is headed over the bar by Jon Guthrie.
  • 12:20pm
     
    19 Another good chance for Walsall. Liam Kinsella blazes it over the bar from Zeli Ismail's cross.
  • 12:22pm
     
    20 It's end to end as Alex Mowatt wins the ball in midfield, and feeds it to Cauley Woodrow. He plays in Mamadou Thiam on the left who drives a low ball into the box, which is cleared for another Walsall counter attack led by Zeli Ismail on the right, who finds Blackett-Taylor on the far post. The midfielder's header goes wide.
  • 12:23pm
     
    22 Zeli Ismail is having a lot of fun down the right. He knocks it through the legs of the sliding Liam Lindsay, but can't find anyone with the cross.
  • 12:24pm
     
    223 Barnsley can't seem to get settled here. It's all a bit too slow from the visitors.
  • 12:25pm
     
    24 Better from the Reds as Dimitri Cavare plays the returning Jacob Brown down the right wing. His low cross is met by Cauley Woodrow whose shot is blocked.
  • 12:29pm
     
    27 A very frantic period from the Reds. Alex Mowatt gives the ball away to Corey Blackett-Taylor, who takes Ethan Pinnock on and gets a cross in. Dimitri Cavare manages to wrestle the ball free, and Mike Bahre wins a free kick to calm things down.
  • 12:30pm
     
    29 Ben Williams gets a talking to after a tough challenge on Zeli Ismail. The Albanian-born midfielder is causing the left-back some problems.
  • 12:35pm
     
    34 Mamadou Thiam forces a save from Liam Roberts with a powerful strike straight down the middle. He was played in by Mike Bahre and had two chance to take the strike. Roberts tips it over for a corner.
  • 12:36pm
     
    35 Thiam forces another corner after taking on his man. The Reds can't do anything from it, however, and Walsall again break up the pitch with pace.
  • 12:38pm
     
    38 Zeli Ismail can only find the side netting after latching onto a long ball over the top from Isaiah Osbourne.
  • 12:40pm
     
    39 Big chance for the Reds as Alex Mowatt is tripped 30 yards from goal after trying to play in Mike Bahre. Thiam and Mowatt are stood over it.
  • 12:41pm
     
    40 Mamadou Thiam gets the free kick over the wall, but it's a very easy save for Liam Roberts.
  • 12:41pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    41 Liam Lindsay stops Isaiah Osborne unfairly, in the ref's eyes. The home fans are annoyed at the referee for not playing advantage.
  • 12:43pm
     
    41 The free kick into the box is punched well out of danger by Jack Walton. Dimitri Cavare rampages up the pitch and nearly finds Mamadou Thiam with a high looping cross to the back post.
  • 12:45pm
     
    ADDED TIME
    1 minute added time.
  • 12:47pm
     
    HALF-TIME: Walsall 0, Barnsley 0. The side who are fourth from bottom have given the Reds a tough test so far, but Barnsley have defended resolutely.
  • 13:02pm
     
    We're back underway for the second half as the Saddlers take the kick-off.
  • 13:03pm
     
    46 A corner for the hosts sees the ball fall to skipper George Dobson, but his strike sails over the bar,.
  • 13:06pm
     
    48 Barnsley get a corner in front of their own fans following an Alex Mowatt free kick that was headed out by the defender.
  • 13:09pm
     
    52 Dimitri Cavare gives the ball away high up the pitch which forms a gap for Corey Blackett-Taylor to get some space to run into. The hosts get a throw in but can't do anything with it.
  • 13:12pm
     
    This afternoon's attendance is 4969, with 905 Barnsley supporters making the trip to the Bescot.
  • 13:14pm
     
    56 The Reds finally break forward after being under the kosh. However, Luke Leahy stops the counter from developing.
  • 13:16pm
     
    58 A neat passing move involving the two central midfielders sees Mamadou Thiam play Ben Williams down the left side, who crosses to Mike Bahre. The German can only side foot the ball over the cross bar.
  • 13:20pm
     
    62 Off the line by Ben Williams! Liam Lindsay's clearance hit Cameron McGeehan, releasing Corey Blackett Taylor through on goal. His strike was through Walton's legs, but the Barnsley left back recovered superbly with an acrobatic clearance. He just stopped his side going one-nil down.
  • 13:23pm
     
    66 It really is end to end now, with McGeehan and Mowatt both having cracks at goal before the Saddlers broke with Josh Gordon
  • 13:24pm
     
    SUB OFF
    Mike Bahre
  • 13:24pm
     
    SUB ON
    Callum Styles
  • 13:28pm
     
    71 A corner for the Reds as Callum Styles has a shot blocked in the penalty area.
  • 13:32pm
     
    75 A great save from Jack Walton to deny Josh Gordon, who somehow found yards of space behind Ethan Pinnock.
  • 13:32pm
     
    SUB OFF
    Cameron McGeehan
  • 13:32pm
     
    SUB ON
    Victor Adeboyejo
  • 13:33pm
     
    75 A change with attacking intent from the Barnsley boss. The second half has been played at a similar pace to the first, with Walsall looking more likely to score.
  • 13:34pm
     
    77 Some more excellent work between the sticks by Walton to deny Josh Gordon, after he was played in by Zeli Ismail, who managed to get past Liam Lindsay with a burst of pace.
  • 13:35pm
     
    78 Cauley Woodrow does well to get a shot off after getting on the end of Victor Adeboyejo's cross. Walsall keeper Roberts is sharp to collect the ball, though.
  • 13:38pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    81 George Dobson brings down Dimitri Cavare, who had the run on the defender.
  • 13:39pm
     
    SUB OFF
    Mamadou Thiam
  • 13:39pm
     
    SUB ON
    Jordan Green
  • 13:40pm
     
    83 Daniel Stendel's last substitution of the match sees a like-for-like change on the wing. However, Green has swapped sides with Jacob Brown, who moves to the left side.
  • 13:44pm
     
    86 Walsall are pushing for a goal and have Barnsley penned back in their own half. Pinnock and Lindsay, typically excellent, are having to deal with a few testing long balls over the top.
  • 13:45pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    87 Jordan Green gets his name in the book for a sliding tackle on George Robson. The winger knew what he was doing there - his team were on the back foot.
  • 13:45pm
     
    SUB OFF
    Zeli Ismail
  • 13:45pm
     
    SUB ON
    Morgan Ferrier
  • 13:46pm
     
    ADDED TIME
    3 minutes added
  • 13:48pm
     
    GOAL!
    Jacob Brown with an injury time goal! Walsall 0, Barnsley 1.
  • 13:51pm
     
    FULL-TIME: Walsall 0, Barnsley 1. A tough game for the Reds, who had to defend resolutely throughout and managed to nick a goal in the dying minutes.

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